World Journal of
Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences

FLORISTIC COMPOSITION AND DIVERSITY OF WILD AND SEMI WILD EDIBLE TREE SPECIES IN CENTRAL ZONE OF TIGRAI, NORTHERN ETHIOPIA

Redae Nigusse and Awash Tesfay

ABSTRACT

Even though the wild and semi-wild edible tree/shrub species play an important role in ecological balance and livelihood improvement, they are not being managed well. The objective of this study was to investigate the composition, diversity, and population structure of wild and semi-wild edible tree/shrub species in lowland agro-ecology of Mereb-leke district across different land use types (farmland, exclosure, riverine and homestead). A total of 38 sample plots, i.e. 6 plots from farmland, 8 from the riverside, 8 from exclosure, and 16 plots from homestead were used proportional to their size. Transects lines were laid out systematically parallel to each other in each of the land-use types to record the species composition, diversity, population structure. Along the transect lines, 50 m X 50 m quadrats with 100 m distance between the plots were systematically laid down and the distance between consecutive transect lines was 100 m. One way ANOVA was employed to analyze the difference in the diversity indices between the land use types. A total of 8 wild and semi-wild edible tree/shrub representing 7 families were documented. The diversity indices were not significantly varied (P=0.24) between farmland (0.3±0.14), exclosure (0.29±0.12), riverine (0.26±0.13), and homestead land use types (0.28±0.07) in the lowland. However, the abundance of wild and semi-wild edible tree/shrub species in homestead (42±9.6) was showed significantly higher (P=0.001) than the riverine (9.3±2.3), farmland (19±11.7), and exclosure (8.5±1.1). Except in homestead land use types, the population structure of wild and semi-wild species in farmland, exclosure, and riverine were unhealthy regeneration potential. The Homestead agroforestry system should be improved for the better regeneration potential of wild and semi-wild edible tree/shrub species in the Mereb leke district.

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